Page 16 - link magazine

16 swindonlink.com • April 2012

PRIVATE West school teams up with ice hockey academy
SPANISH to bring best players to Swindon
LESSONS In a ground breaking development in sports education in Britain, the Okanagan Hockey School Europe
(OHSE), a division of the Okanagan Hockey School Ltd. (OHSL) in British Columbia, Canada, has an-
WEST SWINDON BASED nounced an expansion by setting up a new hockey business unit in Swindon.
It means for the first time that
AFFORDABLE PRICES young British ice hockey players
TO ANYONE! will have the opportunity to hone
their skills, without having to leave
NATIVE SPANISH TUTOR: the UK, for professional coaching.
CONTACT MS T.VILA: The hockey academy will use
01793 876004 the Okanagan business model,
established in Canada, and devel-
or email oped since 2009 at its sports school
offshoot in St. Pölten, Austria.
[email protected] Youngsters will be attracted
to Swindon to take up places of-
fered at Lydiard Park Academy
A family run in Grange Park where they will
business offering follow the national curriculum
One to One and a timetable tailored to allow Planning academic and sporting success, from left, Clive Harding, PE and sports
private tuition in for ice hockey training at the Link academy leader at Lydiard Park Academy, Markus Houben, managing director of
English, Maths Centre rink. There will be additional Okanagan Hockey School, Europe, Clive Zimmerman, headteacher, Lydiard Park
and Science. fitness training and a clear require- Academy, Andy Oakes, president of Okanagan Hockey School, British Columbia,
For all ages and abilities from ment that homework studies are Steve Nell, general manager, Swindon Wildcats, Christian Dobbs, assistant head-
teacher and director of sport, Lydiard Park Academy
Primary (aged 5) to GCSE and A Level. completed and delivered on time. Photo: Richard Wintle www.calyxpix.com
Tutoring tailored to meet individual Players aged 16 to 18 years will
needs with no lengthy contracts. attend local colleges. During term about the UK expansion. "Our included in our income projections
time the players will board with primary objective is to develop so we welcome the formation of the
All tutors qualified to degree level.
West Swindon families. character student athletes dedicated ice hockey academy in association
Tuition available in the comfort of your The Okanagan players will also to bettering their communities with Lydiard Park Academy."
own home or at the homes of tutors have the opportunity to be selected by meeting their full academics, Keith Williams, Swindon Council
Contact Andrea on 07887561762 for the Swindon Wildcats teams at hockey, sportsmanship and citizen- cabinet member for leisure services,
or Helen on 07952177675 different levels. ship potential.” said: "The Okanagan ice hockey
[email protected] Andy Oakes, president of Okana- Swindon Wildcats general man- academy is great news for Swindon.
www.firstclasstuition.co.uk gan Hockey School Ltd., is confident ager Steve Nell said the hockey With the closure of the ice rink in
academy could only come about Bristol we're seeing more ice skaters
by the partnerships being cre- coming here. Providing facilities to
ated. "The relationship developed develop Britain's future ice hockey
by Okanagan with Lydiard Park players gives Swindon the chance
Swindon Academy and Swindon Borough to showcase the provision of leisure
College Council is key to the development facilities in the town, for which we
of the hockey academy. have a long and impressive history.
“Our discussions with Lydiard "I also welcome this commercial
Park Academy have been very posi- venture which will reduce the
tive. The provision of high quality subsidy to Link Centre from the
academic education is essential council tax payer and I'm sure a
to attracting players to Swindon solution catering for the widest
whilst hiring the rink for ice train- range of users can be found which
Swindon College Graduation Ceremony 2011 ing time is obviously key to the does not compromise the business
Higher Education
Open eVenInG sporting success of the individuals opportunity of this initiative.”
www.hockeyschools.co.uk
and the team."
www.lydiardparkacademy.org.uk
Headteacher Clive Zimmerman
Thursday 26th April 2012- 5-7pm welcomed the initiative. “This is a
very exciting opportunity. Partner-
Did you know you can study for a whole range of ships with sports clubs to develop Academy wins gold
degrees on your doorstep? the best talent are exactly what we sports partner status
have been aiming for. We have the Lydiard Park Academy has been
You get the qualification from the university but you get to study physical capacity to accept more awarded gold level partnership by
conveniently in Swindon. There are lots of subjects to choose from pupils and with a group of sports the Youth Sport Trust, for its com-
including: specialists we will be able to tailor mitment to PE and school sport.
Art & Design, Business, Management & Communications, academic timetables around train- The trust is a charity committed to
Construction, Engineering, Early Years, Health & Social Care, ing schedules.” changing the lives of young people
Public Services, Sport & Teaching. Link Centre manager Carol through sport. Award winning
Jamieson said she was in consulta- schools have demonstrated how
Visit www.swindon-college.ac.uk tion with figure skating coaches they deliver high quality school sport
and the school to established when and improve the PE experience, as
Freephone: 0800 731 2250 ice hockey training on ice can take well as using sport to raise achieve-
email: [email protected] place. “We are committed to seeing ment levels.
Student Services: 01793 498308 the ice hockey academy develop The academy will receive ad-
and are seeking the best allocation ditional training and development
of time which least disrupts train- opportunities and can become
ing programmes of all rink users. involved in national education and
S w i n d o n C o l l e g e , N o r t h S t a r A v e n u e , S w i n d o n , S N 2 1 D Y The Okanagan initiative is a busi- sport initiatives.
ness opportunity that we had not www.youthsporttrust.org

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